Monday, November 8, 2010

Thank you to those who responded to my breadmaking day! You've asked for the recipe, here it is. I presume you know how to make basic bread. Do remember that your mixture cannot be too hot otherwise you will kill the yeast! Too cool and it won't rise so much.

DOUGH

4 cups (32 fluid oz) very hot milk (not boiling)

2½ cups (11 oz/311 g) old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup (2 oz/62g) oat bran or extra oats

1/2 cup (3½ oz/96 g) packed brown sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick/2 oz) unsalted butter ( used Elle & Vire because it's not so oily and tastes wonderful but you can use any good quality butter)1 Tablespoon (3/8 oz/11 g) instant yeast (the kind in the box)

6 to 7 cups bread flour (6 cups = 1 lb, 15 oz/871 g)

1 Tablespoon (5/8 oz/20 g) salt

1. Combine oats, oat bran, brown sugar, and butter in a very large mixing bowl. Add hot water and stir until combined. Let it sit until about 80°F, about 30 minutes or warm to the touch.

2. Combine yeast with 2 cups of flour and stir into oat mixture. Continue stirring in flour one cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Either transfer dough to a well floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes or use the hook attachment of your mixer and beat for 8 minutes.

3. Sprinkle flour in the dough bowl, place the dough in it, liberally dust it with flour, and cover it with a damp tea towel.

4. Ferment (first rise): Approximately 1½ hours if dough is at an optimal 70 to 75°F. When the dough is ready, you should be able to push your finger deep into it and leave an indentation that does not spring back.

5. Divide and shape into loaves (mine were 310gm for tiny loaves, 550gm for medium loaves and the rest went to the normal loaf). You can shape it into anything you like! For the cinnamon bread, see below.

CINNAMON SUGAR

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 tblsp ground cinnamon

Soft butter

1. Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside until the dough is ready to be shaped. (Turn on your oven to about 160 deg C or 325 deg F).

2. After measuring out the dough, use your hands to flatten into a rectangular shape. Add small scraps of soft butter to the dough, leaving one short end clean. Use a spoon to sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on the rest of the dough.

3. Starting from the top short end (the clean end is to seal the dough), roll tighhtly until the clean end and use your fingers to press and seal the dough.

4. Turn the shaped dough so the sealed end is at the bottom and put into the buttered loaf tin or parchment paper on a pan.

5. Cover with a damp tea towel and let it prove (2nd rise) until double its size.

6. Bake for about 30 minutes, making sure the top doesn't burn. Different ovens heat differently. If the top starts to burn, use a small piece of aluminium foil to put lightly on top. Adjust your oven heat accordingly.

7. I usually know the bread is ready from the wonderful smell! If you tap it, the bread will sound hollow.

8. When the bread is ready, brush some butter on top to make it shine. Cool for at least 30 minutes before enjoying the fruit of your labour!

Sorry I've no step-by-step photos. Will try to take some when I make my next batch!